2010-02-14, 08:44 PM
FrozNlite Wrote:I don't know....the couple minutes I've seen of both Beijing and Vancouver's opening ceremonies, I've got to say I think Beijing's was at a higher spectacle level. But both were so different and so finely tuned towards their respective nation's culture that you really can't judge by the wow-factor; hearing from Canadian citizens that they phenomenally captured your nation's culture ranks these opening ceremonies highly in my book.
But I've got to say: Wayne Gretzky carrying the Olympic Torch in...standing in the back of a white pickup truck? That seemed a little trashy to me, especially for the person, my irl Canadian friend tells me, was voted by Canadians as the "Most Important Person in Canada's History." Seems like you would introduce someone like that to the world in a classier way than on the back of a pickup truck with crazed Vancouverites chasing you.
Wayne Gretzky was carrying the torch OUT. This was the first opening ceremony held indoors, so they had to light the torch twice, once indoors, once out. The indoor one was lighted, then Gretzky took his torch outside to Coal Harbor (?) to light the outdoors one seen around the city. The person carrying the torch in was Rick Hansen, who lighted it off to the final torchbearer, which turned out to be 4 people: Nancy Greene, Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, and Gretzky. The truck thing was merely an "added extra", least that's what I felt. It would've been neat to watch Gretzky jog it out there, but in the pouring rain, it wasnt practical. That being said, the transport out probably could've been done better.